India – Tigers of Central India Photo Tour 2025

Today is set aside as an arrival day in New Delhi, and after arrival and having negotiated passport control and collected luggage, you will be met by an ORYX representative directly outside the arrivals hall and transported to your hotel, a short distance from the airport. This evening, you will have the opportunity to discuss your upcoming adventure with your ORYX photo tour leader.

This morning we will take a flight (time TBA) to Nagpur. Upon arrival we will transfer to Pench (approximately 3 hours) by road.

Pench National Park, nestling in the lower southern reaches of the Satpura hills is named after Pench river which flows from north to south through the Pench National Park. It is located on the southern boundary of Madhya Pradesh. Recently in 1992, Pench has been included under the umbrella of "Project Tiger" as the 19th Project Tiger Reserve. The Pench National Park is very rich in fauna and a number of endangered species have made it their habitat. There are aroung 55 tigers under this umbrella of the Park. 39 species of mammals, 13 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians and over 210 varieties of birds have already been listed. In the afternoon we will embark on our first game drive exploring the wonfers of this magnificent National Park.

A total of 758 Sq. kms of this Southern Indian tropical moist deciduous forest has its extent mingling with the tropical dry deciduous teak. The area is crisscrossed by a number of streams and 'nallahs' most of which are seasonal. Though the Pench River dries up in April end, a number of water pools locally known as 'dohs' are found which serve as water holes for the wild animals. The Pench Reservoir at the center of the park is the only major water source during the pinch period.

As a prey concentration is high along the Pench River, tiger usually inhabits frequents this belt. Leopard though generally operates in the peripheral areas but are occasionally seen in the deep forest also. Jungle cats are commonly seen. Leopard cats, small Indian civets and palm civets are common but seen rarely. In Pench, Cheetal, Sambar, nilgai are commonly seen grazing on the open sites on roadsides and banks of river & reservoir. Jackals can be seen in search of food anywhere in the Park.

Sloth bear occupy hilly, rocky out crops and favour mahul bel infested forest. Chnkara is present in very small numbers and is found in open areas around Turia, Telia and Dudhgaon villages. Langurs are very common in Pench, whereas the Rhesus monkeys may be seen occasionally on the fringes.

Today we will venture out into Pench for a final morning’s photography, before making our way to Bandhavgarh National Park by road (approximately 7 hours). Set in the rugged Vindhya hills of central India’s Deccan Plateau, Bandhavgarh National Park protects a rich mosaic of deciduous woodland, bamboo thickets, meadows and marshes. This wonderful reserve contains high concentrations of herbivores such as Spotted Deer, Sambar and Wild Boar, and it is this abundance of prey species in turn that supports one of the healthiest populations of Bengal Tiger. Locating these magnificent cats requires a combination of skill and patience, with a bit of luck thrown in.

14th April 2024 – AM & PM game drives 15th April 2024 - Full day game drive 16th April 2024 - Full day game drive Although the relatively open nature of the terrain accounts in part for Bandhavgarh’s high rate of Tiger sightings, we would have to be very lucky to find Dhole (also known as Asian Wild Dog) or the sought-after Sloth Bear in the reserve where they occur in very small numbers and co-exist with the much more frequently encountered Jungle Cat.

Today is our final morning game drive in Bandhavgarh National Park. After your morning safari and breakfast you will depart Bandhavgarh to Jabalpur by roaf transfer. Upon arrival in Jabalpur, you will check-in and fly back to Delhi where this incredible Indian photo tour sadly comes to an end.